San Rafael buildings demolished to make way for Loch Lomond Marina development

Buildings are being demolished at Loch Lomond Marina in San Rafael to make way for a once-controversial mixed-use development that's been years in the making.

On Monday an excavator ripped into the harbor master's office, transforming the light-blue building into a pile of rubble. Its leveling and the relocation of other businesses will ultimately make way for 81 single-family houses and town homes, 22,250 square feet of commercial space, a grocery store, two parks and an updated breakwater area at the marina on Point San Pedro Road.

Ghilotti Construction of San Rafael is preparing to rebuild the existing Loch Lomond Drive thoroughfare and construct the backbone infrastructure for the site, such as roads and breakwater improvements. Todd Wright, a representative for the marina owner, said homes will be erected later this year.

"Homes will be available for sale in the second quarter of 2015," Wright said. "We won't be announcing pricing until the beginning of 2015."

It's been seven years since the San Rafael City Council approved the planned development, called the Village at Loch Lomond Marina, and homes still haven't been built. Los Angeles-based owner Oaktree Capital Management spent years creating the development's concept and obtaining permits, selling the marina in March 2013 to Woodridge Capital Partners, a Los Angeles-based real estate development and investment company. Now Marina Village Associates, an affiliate of Woodridge Capital Partners, is moving forward with the project.

Mayor Gary Phillips said the project approval process was a long, drawn-out one that culminated in fewer homes than initially proposed and a reduction in the height of the homes. He said input from the community that he received directly at the time was favorable.

"A majority indicated that they would welcome the change to generally clean up the appearance of the area," Phillips said.

Marina Village Associates began excavating and grading the site in September 2013, preparing half the property for homes by placing a 4-foot layer of dirt in the center of the land. Wright said workers are still waiting for the compacted dirt to settle before removing three feet of excess soil and moving it to the other side of the site. In the meantime, the owners have been doing paperwork.

"We've been addressing a number of detailed permit issues and finalizing plans and pulling permits," Wright said.

During the first phase of the project through July 2015, building demolitions will continue and 38 homes will be constructed. Workers will also prepare the western section of the site for a new storefront for Andy's Market, which is currently on the opposite side of the marina. Main roads, utilities, park areas, breakwater improvements and the placement of fencing around nearby wetlands will be completed.

The second phase will include moving Andy's Market to its new location, and placing more dirt on the other half of the site where the remaining homes will be built. The last phase will involve removing any excess dirt and building the rest of the residences. Homes in this phase will start to be available in early 2016, with the project anticipated to be complete by late 2016.

Andy Bachich, who owns Andy's Market, said he's looking forward to having a new store and is thankful to the community for demanding construction work around him, making it so neighbors are never without an open grocery store.

"I spent six months designing it. It's going to be really cool. I'll have a restaurant across from it as well — a breakfast and lunch joint," Bachich said.

Alan Schaevitz, with the Point San Pedro Road Coalition, said neighbors — who weren't keen on the project in 2007 — are keeping an eye on the construction process to make sure the wetlands aren't damaged and the work doesn't do undue harm to the community.

Schaevitz said the community is concerned about traffic impacts and whether the repaving work being conducted now on Point San Pedro Road by the county will have to be dug up so the marina can connect to existing utilities. Neighbors are also concerned parking will no longer be allowed on the road if a new bike lane is introduced.

"If there's no parking there, then people will park in the neighborhoods," Schaevitz said.

Nader Mansourian, San Rafael public works director, said the developer will have to pay for the road to be repaved. He said the paving was pushed off for a year in order to give the developer time to make utility connections, but nothing was done and the paving project had to move forward.

Mansourian said a bike lane will be placed on Point San Pedro Road, making it so that existing street parking will be gone. He said the project should have more than enough parking to accommodate residents and visitors.

"We don't rely on on-street parking for that kind of development," Mansourian said.

Stuart Brown, with the Bayside Acres Home Owners Association, has lived in the nearby unincorporated Marin County subdivision since 1972. He said he was opposed to the project in 2007 and still doesn't care for it.

"I think the whole thing is a mistake. The zoning never should have been changed for the marina," Brown said. "I'm concerned about the impacts on water, traffic congestion and whether Andy's will have enough parking."